Method for monitoring a tamper protection and monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for monitoring a tamper protection of a field device, comprising the steps of: checking whether manipulation of the field device has taken place; outputting a non-manipulation certificate in case a negative inspection result was determined; transferring the non-manipulation certificate; a registration device checking the non-manipulation certificate; the registration device determining an active status of the field device in case the non-manipulation certificate is valid; a monitoring device checking the field device by querying the status of the field device and transferring field device data to the monitoring device; the monitoring device accepting the field device data if the field device has an active status. The invention further relates to a monitoring system for a field device and a use.

Method for monitoring a tamper protection and monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection

The invention relates to a method for monitoring a tamper protection, a monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection and to a use of a monitoring system.

Field devices, for example in the form of traffic signal installations for traffic control, signal installations for trains, switches etc., are usually connected to a control station or a signal box for the operating and monitoring thereof. In this context, the communication between field device and control station can take place both wire-connected by means of correspondingly run cables or also wirelessly by means of a radio link.

In order to be able to detect a physical manipulation at a field device by a possible attacker, corresponding sensors, for example motion sensors, can be arranged. In order to impede a manipulation of electronic circuits in the field device itself, hardware security-integrated circuits have additionally become known which store cryptographic keys and can perform cryptographic operations. Such integrated circuits usually have a tamper protection, for example in the form of sensors arranged directly on the integrated circuit. These are designed for detecting unauthorized opening of the integrated circuit.

Such a hardware security-integrated circuit has become known, for example, as “trusted platform module”, the data of which can be called up at http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/trusted_platform_module. Such integrated circuits are installed in PCs or notebooks, for example.

Finally, it has become known from the field of burglar alarm installations and alarm installations for buildings to use contacts at doors and windows and/or motion sensors for signaling a break-in or unauthorized opening or penetration into the building or into a room. In the case of a break-in into a building, for example, an alarm is triggered by a siren or the like and it is also possible to contact a police operations center at the same time. To protect the alarm installation against manipulations, the sensors themselves, used in burglar alarm installations or in alarm installations can be equipped with so-called tamper sensors which detect a manipulation of the burglar alarm installation or of the alarm installation, especially when the housing is opened and/or a sensor is dismantled. The tamper sensors then transfer the information to the alarm installation which, in turn triggers an alarm.

In order to protect parts of a circuit board or an entire circuit board against a manipulation, it has also become known to screw metal plates onto the circuit board in such a manner that a capacitor is formed overall. The capacitance of this capacitor is then continuously monitored so that in the case of a deviation of the normal capacitance value, for example by touching the metal plate or its removal, a change in the capacitance occurs. If a change in the capacitance is found, an alarm can be triggered and a memory on the board which, for example, contains sensitive data, can be deleted so that an attacker cannot obtain access to the sensitive data.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for monitoring a tamper protection of a field device and a monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection in which tamper protection is provided for in a simple and cost-effective manner. At the same time, they should be flexibly upgradable and adaptable in a simple and cost-effective manner for a multiplicity of different devices and provide a desired security level against physical manipulation.

This object is achieved by a method for monitoring a tamper protection of a field device, comprising the steps of checking whether a manipulation has taken place at the field device, outputting of a non-manipulation certificate if a negative test result has been determined, transmitting of the non-manipulation certificate, checking of the non-manipulation certificate by a registration device, determining an active status of the field device by the registration device if the non-manipulation certificate is valid, checking of the field device by a monitoring device by inquiring about the status of the field device, and transferring the field device data to the monitoring device, accepting of the field device data by the monitoring device if the field device has an active status.

This object is also achieved by a monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection, especially suitable for carrying out a method as claimed in at least one of claims 1-5, comprising a tamper monitoring device which is designed for monitoring the field device for tamper protection, a registration device for registering and monitoring the status of the field device, a monitoring device for controlling and monitoring the field device, wherein the tamper monitoring device is designed for checking whether a manipulation has occurred at the field device and outputs a non-manipulation certificate if a negative test result has been determined, and wherein the registration device is designed for checking the non-manipulation certificate and determining an active status of the field device in the case of a valid non-manipulation certificate, and wherein the monitoring device is designed for checking a status of the field device, and wherein the monitoring device is designed for accepting field device data if the field device has an active status.

This object is also achieved by using a monitoring system as claimed in at least one of claims 6-10 for monitoring a traffic installation or for monitoring a transformer substation.

One advantage achieved by this means is that a tamper protection can be upgraded in a simple manner and without relatively great expenditure especially also in the case of field devices already being present. A further advantage is that the field device to be monitored can be developed and produced without having to take into consideration specially designed tamper protection measures in the field device itself. As well, the method for monitoring the tamper protection only blocks the field device and/or a security key deposited in the field device so that any data possibly read out of a memory of the field device, especially the security key which may have been read out by an attacker will not be of any use to the latter. A further advantage is that such monitoring of a tamper protection can be used for many different types of field devices which lowers the production costs for respective field devices considerably. The tamper protection only needs to be developed once and not separately for each field device type. In addition, no direct communication is needed between the tamper protection monitoring device and the field device which also saves production costs.

Further advantageous developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

Suitably, the transmitting of the non-manipulation certificate to the registration device takes place by means of the field device. In this manner, no additional interfaces are needed for transmitting the non-manipulation certificate, it is possible to utilize pre- existing communication channels or lines of the field device. Overall, the production effort for a tamper monitoring device for the field device is thus lowered.

Advantageously, the transmitting of the non-manipulation certificate occurs essentially at the same time as a transmitting of the field device data, wherein especially the non-manipulation certificate and the field device data are transmitted to a common control device comprising the registration device and the monitoring device. The advantage achieved by this means is that it is thus possible to check in a particularly rapid and reliable manner whether a physical manipulation of the field device has taken place.

The transmitting of the non-manipulation certificate is suitably carried out by means of the Internet and/or by means of at least one mobile radio network and/or by means of at least one satellite network. The advantage thus achieved is that as reliably as possible a transmission is thus guaranteed in a simple manner, especially when a number of transmission types are used in parallel. At the same time, conventional transmission paths can be used which are inexpensive since the devices needed for the transmission are available in large numbers.

Suitably, at least the steps of checking whether a manipulation has occurred at the field device, outputting of a non-manipulation certificate if a negative test result has been determined and transmitting of the non-manipulation certificate are carried out at regular time intervals. The advantage is that the status of the corresponding field device is thus determined reliably as being inactive in the case of a lack of the transmission of the non-manipulation certificate.

Advantageously, a control device comprising the registration device and the monitoring device is arranged in the monitoring system. The advantage achieved by this means is that, as result, no additional external interfaces need to be arranged or cables or the like need to be laid in order to check the non-manipulation certificate. At the same time, field device data and non-manipulation certificate can be transmitted between field device and monitoring device on the communication channels already existing which simplifies the operation, control and monitoring of the field device considerably.

The control device is suitably designed in the form of a SCADA control board or of an ERP system. The advantage thus achieved is that a control device is provided in a simple and reliable manner by this means. In addition, such a control device is designed not only for monitoring a tamper protection of a field device but can also handle additional tasks such as, for example a visual display, regulation or the like of other systems or devices.

Suitably, at least one of the devices comprises a communication interface to the Internet, to a mobile radio network and/or to a satellite network. The advantage thus achieved is that by this means as reliable as possible a transmission is guaranteed especially if a number of transmission networks are used in parallel. At the same time, the existing transmission paths can be used which are cost-effective since the devices needed for the transmission are easily available.

Advantageously, the tamper monitoring device has an autonomous power supply. In this manner, a physical manipulation of the tamper monitoring device itself is reduced. At the same time, the fault tolerance of the tamper monitoring device is increased since no external power supply is necessary and thus the tamper monitoring device still monitors the field device in the case of a power failure.

Further features and advantages of the invention are obtained from the subsequent description of exemplary embodiments, referring to the drawing in which, diagrammatically:

FIG. 1 shows a monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection as claimed in a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection as claimed in a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection as claimed in a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4 a,4 b show tamper monitoring devices as claimed in a first and second embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows a method for monitoring a tamper protection of a field device as claimed in a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection as claimed in a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference symbol 1 designates a field device. The field device 1 is connected to a tamper monitoring device 2 which is designed for monitoring the field device 1 with respect to whether the field device 1 is manipulated physically. The field device 1 is also connected to a registration device 3 for registering and status monitoring of the field device 1. The registration device 3, in turn, exchanges data with a monitoring device 4 for controlling and monitoring the field device 1. The monitoring device 4 is connected to the field device 1 via the Internet 20 according to FIG. 1.

If it has not detected any physical manipulation or a tamper event, the tamper monitoring device 2 issues a non-manipulation certificate or a non-tampering assertion NTA and transmits these (reference symbol 10) to the field device 1 protected by the tamper monitoring device 2. The non-tampering assertion is then transmitted, for example, to a registration device 3 which is designed in the form of a device registry server (reference symbol 11). The latter blocks the field device 1, its security feature or its security credentials which, for example, are present in the form of certificates, keys, passwords or field device accounts, if no non-tampering assertion issued to the tamper monitoring device 2 allocated to the field device 1 is present at the device registry server 3 during a particular time interval or is transmitted to the latter. The status of the field device 1 is then specified as inactive.

If a valid non-tampering assertion is present, the status of the field device 1 is deposited as active in the registration device 3. In the meantime and/or also thereafter, the field device 1 transmits (reference symbol 12) field device data, for example control data or feedback data of the field device 1 to the monitoring device 4. The monitoring device 4 can be constructed, for example, as control computer, as stored-programmable controller, as SCADA control board, as ERP system or the like. The monitoring device 4 then tests in a further step (reference symbol 13) whether the status of the field device 1 is active. For this purpose, the monitoring device 4 inquires about the status of the field device 1 at the registration device 3. The registration device 3 transmits (reference symbol 14) the status to the monitoring device 4. If the status of the field device 1 is valid, the monitoring device 4 accepts the field device data transmitted to the monitoring device 4 from the field device 1 and can transmit control data for the field device 1 (reference symbol 15).

Should a physical manipulation be performed at the field device 1, for example by an attacker, this is detected by the tamper monitoring device 2. The tamper monitoring device 2 thereupon issues no further non-tampering assertions and no more non-tampering assertions will thus be transmitted to the field device 1, either. If then the registration device 3 receives no further non-tampering assertions from the field device 1, the status of the field device 1 is deposited as inactive by the registration device 3 after a certain predeterminable time interval. Even if an attacker should thus succeed in reading out keys for encryption from the field device 1 itself by a physical manipulation, he cannot use these for accessing the monitoring device 4 since the monitoring device 4 firstly detects or has detected the status of the field device 1 as inactive by interrogation at the registration device 3 and thus no longer accepts any field device data from the field device 1 and also transmits no further control data to the field device 1.

FIG. 2 shows a monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Essentially, FIG. 2 shows a monitoring system according to FIG. 1. In distinction from FIG. 1, the registration device 3 and the monitoring device 4 are combined in a control device 34 for the field device 1. If the field device 1 has received a non-tampering assertion from the tamper monitoring device 2, the field device 1 transmits both field device data and the non-tampering assertion via the Internet 20 to the control device 34. The control device 34 initially checks the non-tampering assertion which has been transmitted by the field device 1. If it is valid, the transmitted field device data are also accepted by the control device 34.

FIG. 3 shows a monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 essentially shows a monitoring system according to FIG. 1. In distinction from the monitoring system of FIG. 1, the tamper monitoring device 2, if it has detected a physical manipulation at the field device 1, does not transmit the non-tampering assertion to the field device 1 but directly to the registration device 3 via the Internet 20 as shown in FIG. 3. However, it is also possible to transmit the non-tampering assertion via WLAN according to FIGS. 1-5 via a mobile radio network, especially GSM, UMTS, LTE, Wimax, CDMA or the like. The advantage achieved by this means is that the field device does not need to be modified but the tamper monitoring device 2 can communicate with the registration device 3 independently of the field device 1 so that no interface needs to be provided at the field device 1 for communication with the tamper monitoring device 2.

FIGS. 4 a, 4 b show tamper monitoring devices according to a first and a second embodiment.

In FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, reference symbol 2 in each case designates a tamper monitoring device. The respective tamper monitoring device 2 then comprises a control computer 100 which is connected to a flash memory 101 and a RAM memory 102. The flash memory 101 is used as configuration memory for the tamper monitoring device whilst the RAM memory 102 is used as main memory for the control computer 100. Furthermore, a power supply 103 is arranged which is preferably designed in such a manner that, for example, the power supply 103 is designed to be battery-buffered or as supercap or it can provide energy by means of energy harvesting in order to be able to use the ambient temperature, the vibrations or air vibrations, for example in the case of power failures, and thus to provide for continuous monitoring of a field device 1. A further advantage is then that the respective tamper monitoring device 2 can be operated reliably even in the absence of an external power supply. The respective tamper monitoring device 2 comprises in each case an input/output device 104 which is connected to sensors 104a for tamper monitoring. In particular, the sensors 104a are arranged outside the housing of the respective tamper monitoring device 2. Since it is designed for the special task of tamper monitoring of the field device 1, the respective tamper monitoring device 2 can be optimized for this purpose in its energy consumption. In this context, the control computer 100 can be in a so-called sleep mode, for example, during the predominant period. If a tamper event is detected by the tamper monitoring device 2, the control computer 100 is activated again.

The tamper monitoring device 2 monitors by means of the sensors 104 a whether tampering is taking place, that is to say a physical manipulation of the field device 1. In this context, the sensors can be designed, for example, as motion sensors, light sensors, contacts, wire netting or similar. As long as no physical manipulation is found by the tamper monitoring device 2, the tamper monitoring device issues a non-tampering assertion. In this context, the non-tampering assertion can be designed, for example, as a data structure which contains an identification number of the tamper monitoring device 2 and time information and/or a counter value. The data structure can be encrypted and provided with a cryptographic checksum, for example in the form of a digital signature or a message authentication code. The cryptographic checksum can be calculated by means of a cryptographic key stored in the tamper monitoring device 2 and provided by means of the interface 105. The interface 105 is designed to be wire-connected in FIG. 4 a whereas the one in FIG. 4 b is designed to be wireless.

In this context, a non-tampering assertion can also contain at least one of the following information items: an identification information item of the tamper monitoring device 2, additional information relating to the field device 1 which is monitored by the tamper monitoring device 2, a status of the field device 1, an information item about a physical manipulation, for example a note relative to a housing opening of a temperature in the case of too high a temperature difference or the like, furthermore a time information and/or a signature for authentication and securing integrity.

FIG. 5 shows a method for monitoring a tamper protection of a field device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, reference symbol Si designates the step of checking whether there has been a manipulation at the field device 1, reference symbol S2 designates the step of outputting a non-manipulation certificate if a negative test result has been determined, reference symbol S3 designates the step of transmitting the non-manipulation certificate, reference symbol S4 designates the step of checking the non-manipulation certificate by a registration device, reference symbol S5 the step of determining an active status of the field device by the registration device 3 if the non-manipulation certificate is valid, reference symbol S6 designates the step of checking the field device 1 by a monitoring device 4 by means of transmitting the status of the field device 1 and reference symbol S7 designates the step of transmitting the field device data to the monitoring device 4 and reference symbol S8 designates the step of accepting the field device data by the monitoring device 4 as an active status if an active status of the field device 1 is present.

Although the present invention has been described above by means of preferred exemplary embodiments, it is not restricted to these but can be modified in many ways.

For example, the tamper monitoring device can be constructed as a separate device which is arranged at the field device to be monitored or a plurality of field devices to be monitored. In this context, the tamper monitoring device can be constructed as so-called intermediate unit, that is to say mounted between the field device to be monitored and a fixed arrangement, for example a wall, a rail or the like. The tamper monitoring device can be constructed in a separate additional housing, for example for a circuit board. It is also possible to install or to integrate the tamper monitoring device and the sensors possibly present for a tamper monitoring device into the field device to be monitored itself.

In the description and particularly in the claims, a non-manipulation certificate is to be understood to be not only essentially a non-tampering confirmation message or a non- tampering assertion but also a message which specifies that a physical manipulation of the field device monitored has taken place. If a physical manipulation is found, a manipulation certificate can thus be issued if a positive test result has been determined. In order to be able to process these in the sense of the invention, particularly as shown in the claims and in the figure descriptions, the field device, monitoring device and the registration device can be designed accordingly.

Furthermore, the registration device can be designed in such a manner that it is connected to a certification station. In this context, the certification station can provide the registration device with a certificate revocation list in which a field device certificate of the field device monitored by the tamper monitoring device is listed. As an alternative, the field device certificate can be provided by an online certificate status protocol replier or by an online certificate status protocol responder. This provides for an online transmission of the certificate revocation list. 

1. A method for monitoring a tamper protection of a field device (1), comprising the steps: checking (S1) whether a manipulation has taken place at the field device (1), outputting (S2) of a non-manipulation certificate if a negative test result has been determined, transmitting (S3) of the non-manipulation certificate, checking (S4) of the non-manipulation certificate by a registration device (3), determining (S5) an active status of the field device (1) by the registration device (3) if the non-manipulation certificate is valid, checking (S6) of the field device (1) by a monitoring device (4) by inquiring about the status of the field device (1), and transmitting (S7) of field device data to the monitoring device (4), accepting (S8) of the field device data by the monitoring device (4) if the field device (1) has an active status.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmitting (S3) of the non-manipulation certificate to the registration device (3) takes place by means of the field device (1).
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmitting of the non-manipulation certificate occurs essentially at the same time as a transmitting of the field device data, wherein especially the non-manipulation certificate and the field device data are transmitted to a common control device comprising the registration device (3) and the monitoring device (4).
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmitting (S3) is carried out by means of the Internet (20) and/or by means of at least one mobile radio network and/or by means of at least one satellite network.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least the steps of checking (S1) whether a manipulation has occurred at the field device (1), outputting (S2) of a non-manipulation certificate if a negative test result has been determined and transmitting (S3) of the non-manipulation certificate are carried out at regular time intervals.
 6. A monitoring system for a field device having tamper protection, comprising a tamper monitoring device (2) which is designed for monitoring the field device (1) for tamper protection, a registration device (3) for registering and monitoring the status of the field device (1), a monitoring device (4) for controlling and monitoring the field device (1), wherein the tamper monitoring device (2) is designed for checking whether a manipulation has occurred at the field device (1) and outputs a non-manipulation certificate if a negative test result has been determined, and wherein the registration device (3) is designed for checking the non-manipulation certificate and determining an active status of the field device (1) in the case of a valid non-manipulation certificate, and wherein the monitoring device (4) is designed for checking a status of the field device (1), and wherein the monitoring device (4) is designed for accepting field device data if the field device (1) has an active status.
 7. The monitoring system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that a control device (34) is arranged comprising the registration device (3) and the monitoring device (4).
 8. The monitoring system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the control device (34) is designed in the form of a SCADA control board or of an ERP system.
 9. The monitoring system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that at least one of the devices (2, 3, 4, 34) comprises a communication interface to the Internet, to a mobile radio network and/or to a satellite network.
 10. The monitoring system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the tamper monitoring device (4) has an autonomous power supply.
 11. The use of a monitoring system as claimed in claim 6 for monitoring a traffic installation or for monitoring a transformer substation. 